


Possibilities

by ficsated



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Swim Team, gal pals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-18 17:38:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3578139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficsated/pseuds/ficsated
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra meets Asami by helping her get rid of Wu, Asami repays the favor with some math help, the two start hanging out and become close friends, and we'll see where this goes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Something Good Can Work

"Hey! You’re Asami, right? You’re in my chem class!" Asami slammed her journal shut and looked up to see an annoyingly familiar young man leaning over her.

"Yep, that’s me," she replied with a sigh. She had done her absolute best not to sit near Wu in class and gritted her teeth every time he asked an annoying question.

He grinned, apparently oblivious to her tone. “Chem! What a tough class, am I right? If you ever wanted to go over notes sometime, I’m your guy!”

"I’m actually doing really well, thanks. It’s not hard if you do the reading." She saw him reaching for his phone and suppressed a groan. She scanned the coffee shop, looking for someone she knew in the line of people waiting for their drinks, trying to come up with some sort of a quick getaway, but no luck. "If you don’t mind, I’m actually trying to get some work done, so…"

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, pulling the chair across from her out without waiting for an answer.  _Great_ , she thought.  _Just great_.

"Oh, there you are!" a young woman in a Republic City University tank top and athletic shorts stepped forward, setting her drink on the table and casually using her free hand to replace Wu’s on the back of the chair. "Sorry I’m late!" She dropped her backpack with purpose next to the table, nearly hitting his foot.

He stepped back, caught off guard. “Korra? You know Asami?” _Korra._ She recognized the name - this must be that new freshman the swim team was so excited about. The woman - Korra - winked at her, and she hastily dropped her bewildered expression for one of recognition.

"Yep!" Asami chimed in. "She and I actually have plans, so if you don’t mind, we can talk about chem some other time." Not that she wanted to  _any time_ , but she could deal with that later.

"Right. Well, I’ll see you in class! Are you sure you don’t want my number so we can talk abo-"

"See you in class!" she cut him off. Korra sat down, reaching out to give his shoulder a slight shove towards the door. As soon as he had left, she burst out laughing. "Sorry about that - Wu’s got a reputation in my dorm as the Fuckboy on the Fifth Floor."

Asami stifled a laugh. “Thanks you. You saved me from having to put up with him, even if it’s only until next class. I’m Asami, by the way.” She held out her hand to the other woman, who smiled and shook it.

"Like I said, I’m Korra. And don’t worry about it - it’s what I would have wanted if it had been me. You looked pretty desperate to get rid of him!"

"Believe me, if you had a class with him, you would be too. Let me make it up to you… can I buy you a coffee?"

"Already have mine, but thanks," she replied, taking a sip from her cup. "Mind if I stay here though? I came to study too, so I promise I won’t get in your way. The other tables are full, and…"

"Sure! Go ahead." Asami smiled as Korra pulled out a massive textbook and opened up to the page where a slightly wrinkled piece of graph paper poked out. She returned to her own notebook, flipping through some of her sloppy sketches. Her engineering class involved a bridge-designing project, so she had been playing around with different structures and calculating the advantages of each. Doodles of various flowers lined the bottom of the page - sometimes she thought more clearly when her hands were busy.

Asami snuck a glance up at Korra, who was running her left hand through her short bob and punching numbers into her graphing calculator with a little more force than necessary. She furiously erased what looked like five or six steps to the problem she was working on. She looked up with a sigh, and Asami noted that her blue eyes stood out against her dark skin. Of course, then she also realized that she was staring and hastily looked away. “Math troubles?” she asked.

"Yep." Korra’s reply was terse. "Of course, it doesn’t really matter for my major, so it’s just to meet core curriculum requirements. And I was too stubborn to take a more basic level and just get it out of the way, so now I’ve got to dig myself out of this hole."

"What are you majoring in?"

"International relations. And religion too - I’m hoping to double major."

"I"m a mechanical engineering student going after a minor in business," Asami told her. "Here, scoot over." She moved her chair around to be next to Korra. The problem wasn’t easy, but she had spent enough time on integrals the year before to figure out Korra’s mistake. She talked through a second problem, making sure to write out the steps she normally would have done in her head, and handed the pencil back for the third one. Korra narrowed her eyes, absentmindedly biting her lip as she worked. Both of them cheered aloud when they checked the solution in the back of the book, earning a couple of odd glances from the people at the nearest table.

"I think I’ve got it now!" Korra exclaimed, slamming the textbook closed with a satisfying thud. "Wow, you taught me more in an afternoon than I think Professor Raiko has all semester."

"Don’t mention it. I’m kind of a mathy person, so let me know if you have any other questions." She pulled out her phone to check the time an noticed it was later than she thought. And that she had a missed call from her dad, but she’d deal with that later.

"What time is it?" Korra asked, still trying to cram her textbook and binder into her bag.

"Five forty-five. Why - in a hurry?"

"Five forty-five? Shit! I’ve got swim practice at six - and I need to get my suit from my dorm - ugh, Coach Kya’s gonna kill me! Ummm, hold on…" Asami tried to keep a straight face; Korra seemed ready to head off in every direction at once, turning between her bag and Asami and the door. "Here’s my number. You saved my ass for the upcoming test, so I’ve got to find a way to pay you back. But also, well, you seem like a cool person besides that, and I’m gonna be at practice until 8, but maybe… text me tonight?” She was babbling, scrambling to grab her things, losing her breath before even reaching the pool. It was actually sort of endearing.

Asami gladly took the piece of paper Korra shoved towards her while grabbing her bag. “It was nice meeting you!” she called as the other girl darted out. The door closed too quickly, muffling Korra's reply, but Asami saw her raise her hand in a quick wave from the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading!!! I've got some plans for additional chapters, so look out for updates! If needed, I'll add whatever content warnings apply for future chapters.


	2. Not a Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra brings Asami to arcade night with the Krew and they go from being strangers to actual friends.

"Alright, that's it for today!" Coach Kya called out as the team finished cooling down. "Looking good - see you all tomorrow!" Korra pulled herself out of the pool by her arms and sat on the ledge, catching her breath. She pulled off her goggles and swim cap and shook out her hair. When she reached the locker room, she fished her phone and her shower supplies out of her bag. She smiled when she saw that she had two new messages from an unknown number and quickly added Asami to her contacts.

A: Hey, it's Asami - have a good practice!

A: Umm I think you left your graphing calc so I grabbed it

Korra slammed the palm of her hand into her forehead - she really needed to keep better track of her stuff. And those calculators were expensive! She showered quickly and towel dried her hair while she pulled on some clean sweatpants. She sent another text to Bolin to ask if he was still up for grabbing noodles, and he immediately replied with an "of course!"

He was already in line at Narook’s when she entered and greeted her with his usual bone-crushing bear hug. “Ahh- hey, you have no idea how sore I am!” She punched him lightly in the shoulder after he released her. They placed their order and sat down to wait.

“So how are you and Opal?” she asked.

“Things are great! Why?” a look of concern spread across his face. “Did she say something to you? Is she unhappy?”

Korra laughed. “Relax! I’m pretty sure she’s just as googly-eyed for you as you are for her. She’s just better at keeping her composure.” They had only gotten together two weeks ago, and she hoped they worked out - she felt a little responsible for helping set them up.

“It’s weird to be dating your roommate. I mean, you have the most wonderful roommate ever, and I owe you big-time for introducing us, but still. She lives with my best friend, and you could be telling each other everything about me! It’s weird.”

“We don’t gossip about you  _all_ the time, Bo.” She rolled her eyes.

At that moment, their food arrived, and Korra remembered how starved she was from all of that swimming. For a while, the only sounds coming from their table were slurping. Thursday nights at Narook’s with Bolin had been a sacred part of her week since classes started, and they always put her in a good mood before she made it to Friday. After a while, Korra spoke up. “Hey, do you know a girl named Asami?” He frowned and shook his head. “Tall, curly black hair, pretty? Like, really pretty?” She signed. “I have no idea who she is, but I sat with her to save her from dealing with Wu, and I think we’re friends now?”

“Do you know what year she is, or anything like that?” She shook her head. He pulled out his phone and started searching for her. “I can’t find her on Facebook.”

“Shit, I never texted her back! Hold on.” Korra reread Asami’s texts from earlier.

K: Ugh, whoops! I owe you double now!

“Do you think anyone will mind if I invite her to arcade night? I owe this girl, like, multiple times over for math stuff.”

Bolin shrugged. “Sounds good. Mako probably would like having someone other than you to talk to.” He realized he wasn’t sounding as encouraging as he thought and backpedaled. “That came out wrong. Not that you aren’t fantastic! You’re awesome! It’s just, you know, now that Opal and I are dating it feels kinda like you two are being dragged into a double date or something, and I don’t want to make you guys have to do that, and-”

Korra cut him off. “Relax! I know what you mean.” She had been best friends with both brothers for a long time, but she and Mako had dated for a good chunk of her junior year. It hadn’t worked out at all, but they had done their best to stay friends afterwards. “Odd numbers are good.” She sent Asami another text:

K: Hey wanna meet me and some friends tomorrow for Flameo’s pizza? plus arcade night but you don’t have to stay for that if you don’t want to!

A: sounds awesome! I’d love to!

She hadn’t expected a reply so soon. “She’s in,” she told Bolin with a shrug. “That was easy.”

“Great! I’ll tell Mako to be nice.” The conversation turned then to funny memories from high school, to when Mako singed off his eyebrows in a chemistry lab or when Bolin broke his nose pretending to be a tap dancer.

They walked back together, since Bolin’s dorm was just a little past Korra’s. “Say hi to Opal for me!” he told her.

“Like you aren’t texting her right now,” Korra pointed out. Bolin sheepishly crammed his phone into his pocket. “Seeya!” she called, giving him a quick one-armed hug before heading into her dorm building. She took the elevator up - she was starting to feel the burn from swim practice - and gave a quick knock before opening the door.

 “Your boyfriend says hi!” she announced to Opal, who looked up from her phone, grinning.

“He said you’d say that,” she replied with a laugh. “How was Noodle Night?”

“It was good." She sat down on the edge of her bed, pulling her shoes off. "You know, if I’m overstepping boundaries or whatever, you can tell me.”

“Of course not!” Opal told her, and Korra sighed with relief. Yeah, she would understand if Opal didn’t like that her rommate and her boyfriend hung out all the time, but Bolin was one of her closest friends in the world, and he always put her in a good mood. “Look, I know you both, I trust you both, it’s fine. Besides, I’m busy on Thursdays.” She leaned forward, reaching towards her toes in a stretch. Korra couldn’t help but wonder if she had terrible foot pain, but Opal wasn’t giving up ballet anytime soon.

“Oh, by the way," Korra remembered, “I’m inviting someone along to arcade night tomorrow. She’s this really cool girl named Asami and I owe her multiple favors. You don’t know her, do you?” Opal shook her head. “She’s in engineering, but other than that I have basically no idea who she is. She seems really cool though. It's kind of like," she struggled to find the right words, "like I have a platonic crush on her? Okay, that's not the best phrasing but you get what I mean. I just... really want to get to know her."

 

* * *

 

Asami was waiting outside the pizzeria in a dark red coat, black jeans, and a black beanie when Korra arrived with her roommate, a bubbly freshman with a bob and huge green eyes. Korra introduced them to each other - this girl was named Opal and smiled shyly at her - before two guys in hoodies and jeans shouted a greeting from down the block and ran to join them. The shorter one placed one hand on Opal's shoulder and extended the other to Asami. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Bolin!" She returned his too-vigorous handshake.

The taller boy hung back a little. "Hey, Mako," Korra greeted him, not unkindly, but also not with Bolin's level of enthusiasm. He nodded. "This is Asami, she's coming along tonight."

"Nice to meet you," he told her. His handshake was firm, and he made eye contact with her.

Asami found herself crammed in between Mako and Korra in a booth, across from Opal and Bolin. She felt a little uneasy - the four of them all knew each other and she was a stranger to them - but when Korra and Bolin began dramatically recounting the time they got in trouble for shoving Mako's face into his birthday cake in fifth grade, she couldn't help but laugh along. They ordered two large pizzas: one meat-lover's pizza Korra and Bolin both swore she had to try, and a veggie pizza Opal suggested. She took a slice of each, hesitant about both, and picked off the mushrooms from her veggie pizza before digging in.

"You don't like mushrooms?" Korra noted.

"Not really. But the veggies are nice!"

Korra wrinkled her nose at the bell peppers and olives. "Not really my thing." She took a bite out of the slice she was holding, weighed down with melted cheese, pepperoni, and a host of other hearty toppings. "Now _this_ is what hits the spot after practice!"

Asami hesitantly tried a slice. And wow, Korra was right. She closed her eyes and grinned, savoring the flavor. "What'd I tell you?" She rolled her eyes at the smugness in Korra's tone. 

The rest of the group insisted that they had just gotten started as they led her to the arcade. She hadn't been to one in years, but she remembered loving them as a kid. Bright lights, 8-bit music, and the smell of carpet cleaner hit her as she walked through the arcade's doors. They each bought twenty tokens and started with skeeball, then branched out to other games. Asami found herself facing Mako in some kind of racing game, quickly soaring ahead of him. Korra came by to check out the score and laughed when she saw Asami was about to lap him. He mumbled something about a faulty controller and beginner's luck.

Mako and Bolin later made bets with each other over who could hit the highest on the high striker machine. It had a garish sign advertising for the strongest man in the world and a scale from one to ten. Bolin only reached a seven, and Mako beat him by getting an eight, but Korra took a swing at the machine after them. She stretched her arms out before seizing the hammer and delivering a blow that made the bell ring and the machine shoot out more tickets than any of them had expected to get that evening. Asami helped her scoop them up, and Korra picked out stuffed animals for each of them. "This one's for you," she said, handing Asami a plush polar bear. "She reminds me a little of my dog back home."

"Thank you," she said. "Oh, before I forget!" She dug into her handbag and pulled out Korra's calculator.

Their hands met, just for a second. "You're a lifesaver!" Korra told her brightly, stuffing it into the leather bag she wore over her shoulder.

The five of them walked out together. Korra asked where she lived, which was in a different direction from either of their dorms, and even though she told the rest of them to go on, the group stayed together until they reached the door to her apartment building.

"Thanks so much for inviting me along, guys. That was actually... really fun!"

"You should come next month, too," suggested Mako with a crooked grin. "If only because you owe me a rematch."

"I gotta say," Bolin announced. "Korra's just got the best taste in friends." He slung his arm around Opal, who rolled her eyes but smiled at him.

"Thanks for coming," Korra said, her voice softer. "See you soon?"

"Definitely."

Asami wasn't someone with a huge group of friends. She had skipped a year in school, she had always been the young one, the smart one, the one who always felt a little out of place. But she had grown close to these four students in just a few hours, and she reckoned that a good part of that was that Korra had gone out of her way to make sure she felt comfortable. This girl was practically a stranger, but she was fascinating, and Asami wanted to get to know her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The words "platonic crush" were hard to write and I promise I'm only putting them in so that it can come back later. Sorry if everything's a little slow and explanatory - we haven't gotten to the good stuff yet.


	3. Roku and the Fire Sages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee shop doodling, nostalgic cartoons, and angry relatives.

"Look at this!" Korra waved her phone in Asami's face frantically.

"Hold on, stop moving your hand around!" She held her wrist steady, trying to make sense of the picture in the second before it disappeared. "Hold on, I didn't get to read it. What does it say?"

"I can't get it back - it's a snapchat. Opal got a picture of her brother making this ridiculous expression."

They moved forward a little in the line, back at the coffee shop where they had met. It had kind of become a regular thing, their hanging out there, supposedly getting work done but honestly talking for most of the time. "Opal has a brother?" Asami still wanted to learn more about Korra's friends. 

"She has, like, four of them. But the oldest one is Bataar, this complete dork in grad school. I've only met him once or twice." They reached the front of the line, and Korra ordered a drink. Asami went to a different cashier for her coffee, but they met up again to wait for their drinks.

Korra thanked the barista but frowned a little as she read the writing on the side of her iced coffee. "They always spell it like that," she said. Asami leaned over her shoulder and read the name "Cora." _  
_

Her sympathy melted away though when she got her own drink. "Salami!" See that, Korra? You get a different spelling of your name, and I get deli meat." The other girl let out a hearty laugh like a bell. Asami put a hand on her hip, feigning seriousness, but couldn't do so for long. She covered her mouth and tried to keep her composure, but she shook with silent laughter until she gave up pretending and joined Korra.

"Did you just snort?" Korra grinned at her.

"What? No, of course not." She found an empty table and motioned towards it.

"You definitely did!" Asami felt her face warming. Korra wasn't going to let it drop. "Oh my goodness, that's so cute!" _What? It was?_

"I didn't- look, nevermind. How's calculus going?" She sunk into a wooden chair, dropping her bag on the floor next to her.

Korra's smile widened. She had this crooked smile, Asami noted, that always crept up higher on one side. "Guess who got an A on the midterm? This girl!" She leaned across the table for a high five. "I was sure I'd failed, but apparently not!"

"That's wonderful!" Asami brushed her hair out of her eyes and pulled out her notebook. This had kind of become part of her routine - Korra would send her a text after finishing classes, and a couple of days a week, they just hung out to do work. It had started when Korra needed math help, but she seemed to be doing better, so Asami spent a lot of the time working on her own stuff. She absentmindedly added details to her most recent design, filling in the margins with scrawled notes and explanations.

"What are you drawing?" Korra asked. She looked up, unsure of how much time had gone by.

"Oh, this?" Asami shrugged. "I've always been kind of fascinated by machinery, and I'm learning more about it through my major." She hesitantly slid her notebook across the table, revealing her sketch of a prosthetic arm. "I'm hoping to go into biotechnology after I graduate. It's just incredible to think that someone could be at a complete disadvantage physically, but that with the right tools they might be able to get along just fine.... Sorry if I'm boring you." She looked away.

"Boring? Asami, this is so cool!" Korra held the notebook up, squinting to read the spiky handwriting along the sides. "I have no idea how it works, but the details you added look incredible!" She raised an eyebrow. "Although, you  _do_ have impossible handwriting."

"Hey, I just have too much to say to fit it all in neatly. It doesn't have to look good to be legible."

"I'm not sure if I'd call it _legible,_ though," teased Korra. "You're like that character in _Roku and the Fire Sages_ , the one with all the scrolls."

Asami blinked. "I never saw that show."

"Are you serious? It was my favorite! I was raised on that show!"

"I'll have to look it up sometime," she suggested.

Korra's eyes lit up in response. "Bolin got me season one on DVD for my last birthday. Ready to get introduced to your future favorite show?" Asami smiled at Korra's excitement, giving her a small nod.

Half an hour later, she found herself sitting on Korra's bed as the other young woman rifled through drawers and opened up storage bins with increasing frustration. "Trust me, I've got it here," she insisted.

"I'm sure it's worth the wait," teased Asami. She had a vague idea of the show from channel surfing once or twice as a kid, but it looked a bit cheesy to her.

"Here!" Korra yelled in triumph, her upper half out of view as she splayed out on her stomach, reaching out for the case under her bed. "I've got it!" She attempted to sit up and hit her rear end on the bed frame. Asami covered her mouth to hold in her laugh, fighting to look serious when she reemerged. "Well." She stood, panting a little, nervously fixing her short, messy hair. They looked at each other for a moment, and Korra froze with her hand in her hair before remembering what she had planned to do. She pulled out her laptop, which took a little too long to start up, and scooted next to Asami on the bed, resting the computer on a pillow over their legs.

Asami couldn't help but smile as Korra eagerly hummed along to the theme song. It started off a little cheesy, which wasn't helped by the show's number one fan adding on her own commentary. "Look at how innocent he is here! He's going to change so much, just you wait," or "I wanted to be like her when I grew up." But the characters were cute, and towards the end of the episode they sang a little song, and honestly, she could use some time dedicated to something so carefree. As the credits started, she caught Korra sie-eying her. "Soooooo, what'd you think?"

"It was pretty cute, not gonna lie." She heard the click of the dorm look and looked up as Opal entered.

"Hey, Korra! And hi, Asami! What's up?" The breathless young woman dropped her backpack - which looked far too big for her slender frame - and immediately started rummaging around in her drawers.

"Korra was just showing me the first episode of  _Roku and the Fire Sages_." The engineering student leaned forward, stretching her arms and back, before noticing the light of he phone screen on the bed next to her.

Korra chatted to Opal while Asami looked at the three missed calls and two angry messages from her dad, her heart sinking. She didn't even notice Opal toss her pointe shoes into the bag over her shoulder and only looked up when she heard "I'll see you guys later, I guess! Bye!"

"Talk about an overachiever," chuckled Korra. "She's always busy..." she trailed off, noting that Asami had frozen next to her. "Hey, Asami? Are you okay?" She placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder, causing her to jump.

"What? I-I just... sorry, I've really got to run. It's a family thing, I'm really sorry!" Korra sat up, allowing Asami past her.

"Is someone in trouble? What's wrong?" Asami shook her head, slipping on her shoes.

"It's fine, I just really need to call my dad, and he can be kind of demanding." She straightened her button-down and grabbed her bag from the floor, frantically making sure she hadn't left anything. "I'm sorry, I'll call you later." Korra was just standing there, dumbfounded.

Asami hugged her once, quickly, just for a second. "But I really did enjoy the show, I'll have to watch episode two sometime!"

"Yeah..." The other girl ran one hand through her bob, clearly confused but not trying to fight her. "Hey, Asami? Whatever it is, good luck. I hope everything's okay."

"I hope so too, Korra. Thank you." And with that, she was off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to get a feel for how-many-modern-western-companies-can-I-mention-without-making-it-weird so have some starbucks and snapchat.  
> I'm not really happy with the quality of this chapter but I'm just getting it done and hopefully I'll write more (and better) soon since I'm almost finished with school. Sorry for the two-month absence - I had APs and the whole picking-a-college thing but I have a nice boring summer coming up for more stuff.


	4. Not Your Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Korra has a TV marathon night at Asami's place and learns some interesting information in the morning.

Korra walked with her hands jammed into her hoodie pockets, huddled against the slight chill in the air. She looked down at the sidewalk, littered with the first leaves of autumn, as she made her way towards the dining hall. She had waited a while to see if Asami would text, but no luck so far. Bolin was taking Opal out to dinner to take her mind off rehearsals for the upcoming recital, so she figured she should just head out by herself before it got too late. Just as she reached the door, she jumped as the phone in her back pocket began to vibrate.

 _Salami,_ read the screen. She had already guessed it, but the name made her smile. "Hey, what's up?" she asked.

"Korra!" Asami sounded breathless. "Listen, I am so sorry about running out on you earlier! I've got kind of a... crappy family situation going on, and I just-"

Korra cut her off. "Look, don't worry about it. I get it, and you don't need to worry." Was she upset? Yeah, maybe a little. Was she going to hold it against Asami when it honestly seemed beyond her control? Of course not.

"No, I really am sorry. Let me make it up to you!" Were those traffic noises in the background? It sounded far too busy for the campus, so she must have been out in the city. "Want to come over tomorrow and watch the next few episodes on a real TV?"

"That sound amazing!" She felt her annoyance melting away - clearly, Asami had a lot on  her plate, but she still wanted to spend time with Korra.

"Great! We can order pizza or something, too."

"Cool. And Asami?"

"Yeah?" She sounded distracted.

"I hope everything's okay and that.... and that you know you can talk about it if you want. I mean, it's okay if you don't want to share what's going on, but it's also okay if you just need to vent about it or something. To a friend, I mean." She was rambling and it didn't sound like much, but it was all she could really offer.

Asami's voice softened in response. "Thank you, Korra. I think for the moment, I just want to keep it to myself, but thanks. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

 

* * *

 

Korra wrapped up her Friday swim practice with a nod of approval from Kya and a comment about how her opponents won't know what hit them once the season starts. Grinning, she showered quickly and tried to get as chlorine-free as possible before changing into a blue tank top and a pair of high waisted shorts. She threw her swimsuit and towel into a plastic bag in order to keep the rest of her things dry and tied it shut before shoving it into her swim bag and sliding into her shoes.

About halfway to Asami's place, she stopped and fished her hoodie out, cursing her still-wet hair and the sudden chill in the air. She noticed a cute little bakery and darted in, deciding on the spur of the moment that she should do something nice for Asami, and the cupcakes _were_ buy one get one free, so she emerged a minute later with a little white box in one hand.

 _I'm here,_ she texted from outside the tall building. It wasn't a part of the campus, but it was still in the older style of the school buildings. She probably couldn't swipe in, and the doors she pulled at were all locked, but Asami appeared almost immediately to let her in.

"It's good to see you!" she exclaimed, trying to hug her before switching to a one-armed embrace that didn't knock over Korra or her bag. "C'mon, I'm on the top floor so the elevator's much faster." She led her in and pushed the button for the sixth floor. If the wood-paneled lobby and pristine elevator hadn't tipped Korra off that Asami had  _much_ nicer digs than any of the dorm rooms, the thick, mahogany door she unlocked certainly did, but she still gasped when she stepped inside.

The room had the same sweet jasmine scent as Asami. The kitchen didn't take up much space but had what looked like very new appliances, and two swiveling bar stools at the counter provided somewhere to sit. A black leather couch and matching loveseat and ottoman faced a television far bigger than Korra's wimpy laptop screen.  She could assume Asami's bedroom and bathroom were around the corner, but what really made the space stand out was the natural light coming in from the skylight and the set of double doors - was that a little balcony? "Well, welcome to the home away from home!" She seemed apprehensive, watching Korra's reaction.

"Asami, this is incredible! Especially for student housing, it's... huge!" She could have gone on, but she stopped herself. "Well, keep in mind that I've been living in a dorm with about sixty square feet to call my own, and half of that's a twin bed." In hindsight, she was a little embarrassed to have shown Asami her dorm.

"I'm glad you like it. I've tried to make it a little more personal, but I've only had the space since the start of term." They walked in, and she noted that the wall behind her had two paintings on display: one of the city skyline, and another of a red lily. Around the corner, by doors that probably led to the bedroom and bathroom, sat an enormous desk covered in notebooks and sketches. Wall-mounted shelves above held a few dozen books. "Pizza's on the way. Did you bring your DVDs?"

"Oh, right." Korra handed the cupcake box to Asami so that she could dig through her bag. "Those are for us, by the way. You can open them." She stood back up with the boxed set in her hand as Asami opened up the container to see the cupcakes.

"They look amazing. You didn't have to do that!" She smiled in a way that made her eyes light up and her cheeks flush.

"It's nothing," she shrugged. "I just saw this great bakery on my way here, and they were having a special, and life is short, you know?"

Asami refused to let Korra chip in when she paid the pizza delivery guy. He thanked her graciously for his tip, which made her even more embarrassed for not contributing. They ate on the couch together with their feet up on the ottoman, starting their marathon of  _Roku and the Fire Sages_. They didn't talk much, other than to laugh or make comments on the characters. It was simple, the kind of low maintenance evening both of them needed after a busy week. Asami eventually stood up to put in the next DVD, and Korra texted Opal to let her know she was out and not missing. "I think we both deserve some dessert," she announced, letting out a yawn as she stretched.

Asami asked Korra if she wanted the chocolate cupcake or vanilla, and she insisted that Asami should be the one to choose. Of course, the older girl responded by neatly slicing each one in half so that they could each try both. As the next episode started, Asami started making her own predictions, pointing out her favorite characters, and rooting for the relationships she had picked out for them. Korra did her best to avoid spoilers, so she stuck to comments like "I always looked up to her as a kid," or "You and me both." Before she knew it, they only had one disc left in season 1.

"Ready for the finale?" asked Asami.

She smiled, surpressing a yawn. "I was born ready. But, umm, it's kind of late, and I guess I should probably go before it gets too dangerous to walk home..." She frowned, looking out at the balcony doors. It was already a little darker and later than she felt comfortable walking alone, but better now than in another hour or two.

Asami bit her lip. "I can give you a ride back if you want - I do have a car, and it'd be safer than walking. Or, you know, you could just crash here for the night, and then it wouldn't matter how late we stayed up?" She gave Korra a grin.

"Well, if you insist, Miss Asami. But I'm probably going to pass out as soon as we finish the season," she yawned again, "so I'm not sure how much I can deliver in the area of sleepover gossip and mischief." She sent a follow-up text to Opal.

K: nvm, gonna crash here tonight.

O: Tell Asami hi!!! :)

"Alright, time for the final showdown! Will Roku and his ragtag team of teenagers restore balance, or will their world meet certain doom?" Yep, Asami had _definitely_ become invested in these characters.

 

* * *

 

Korra awoke to the sound of a phone ringing. She groaned, covering her head with an unfamiliar red blanket. It took her a minute to remember where she was, but when she did, she sat up slowly, surveying the room. She could hear footsteps from the adjacent room, along with tense snippets of Asami's conversation. Something was sizzling on the stove, and the smell made her stomach growl. Asami walked in without seeming to notice her, now in a tank top and pajama pants, and checked on the stove before starting to pace around the kitchen. "Look, Dad, I'm sorry, but you can't expect me to bail you out every time. I've made it very clear that I don't want to be involved, and-" she sighed, pausing to listen.

"What you do is your business, but it's not fair to drag me down with you. Dad, please." Korra sat up. Asami scanned the room, locking eyes with her momentarily and offering a sad smile that didn't reach her eyes. Korra figured it wasn't her business and feigned being very interested in folding up her blanket. The conversation seemed to be escalating, so she slipped out to the bathroom. And wow, the soaps and lotions on the counter looked more expensive than Korra's textbooks. The room was spotless, of course. She splashed some water on her face and attempted to brush through her short hair with her fingers before reappearing.

Asami leaned against the wall, hugging herself with the arm that wasn't cradling her phone. Korra stayed back, not wanting to interrupt. Her father had risen his voice, to the point where even Korra could hear a faint echo of his angry - no, his downright _cruel_ \- tone. Asami's anger matched his. "You have _no_ right to blame that on me. I didn't do anything wrong! If you expect me to forgive you for all you've done, how the hell can you justify criticizing me for who I am?" Her voice cracked on the last word. "You know what? I don't want to hear it any more. I'm done."

She hung up, sinking to the floor. Hugging her knees, she let out an exasperated sigh and buried her head in her arms. Korra hesitantly approached, tenderly placing a hand on her right shoulder and joining her on the floor. She couldn't see Asami's face through her hair, but her shaky, ragged breaths gave a clear enough idea of it.

"I'm not going to ask if everything's okay, because it's obviously not, but I'm here if you want to talk about it," Korra offered, staring straight ahead at the windows. Asami's hand found her own. The other girl didn't look up, but some of the tension slipped off her shoulders.

"It's kind of a long story, and I don't want to go into it too much. But my dad, he's pretty well off, pretty influential. But apparently having one of the biggest businesses in the city isn't enough for Hiroshi Sato." _Hiroshi Sato? As in, billionaire behind just about every vehicle around?_ Korra opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it. It was pretty clear that Asami had more than enough spending money, but with a start she realized this girl kept most of her identity locked away. "Anyways, he's been involved in some increasingly... questionable business deals, and he's made me clean up after him when he gets into trouble, but I don't want to be a part of it, and I don't agree with what he's doing." The words pour out as if from a jug, first slowly, then in a cascade. "So then, he pulls the I-don't-approve-of-your-lifestyle-either card, like I'm just as guilty because I'm some sort of... disappointment to him. But he has no right to say that, and using your company as cover for your crimes is not the same thing as being bisexual!"

She spat the last word out, like it was a dirty word. Which, apparently, is how her dad wanted her to think of it. They both stayed silent for a moment, and Asami avoided looking at Korra, regretting her momentary lapse of self-control. Her eyes landed on the kitchen, where an increasingly acrid smell had spread through the air. "Shit, shit, shit!" Asami jumped up, running to the stove, hastily switching it off and lifting the pan off the heat. She coughed, making a face at the now unrecognizable black mess in the pan. "Well, there goes breakfast! I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

Korra followed her, holding out a hand for the pan, and dumped the contents into the trash, or at least whatever wasn't charred in place. A huge puff of steam erupted when she dropped it in the sink and started running the cold water over it. "Don't worry about it, just leave it to soak and it'll come off later." Asami opened the kitchen window. They just stood there for a moment, in a room reeking of burnt eggs.

Korra held out her arms. Asami stepped into her embrace. Korra wrapped an arm around Asami's waist, reaching up with the other to stroke her hair. "Asami, listen to me. You're amazing, you're smart, you're talented, you're beautiful. And I don't care who your dad thinks he is, he doesn't own you and he doesn't get to make you feel like that." She pretended not to notice Asami wiping her eyes behind Korra's back.

"Thanks, Korra." She leaned into the hug a little more before pulling away. "And I'm really sorry for-"

Korra cut her off. "Don't worry about it. I passed this really nice-looking diner down the block on my way here. You still in the mood for breakfast?"

Asami smiled, her first genuine smile that morning. It brought color into her face and made her eyes shine. "Absolutely! I'll be ready in five minutes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that it's summer and I have a pretty open schedule, I actually have time to write things! I'm gonna keep working on this - I definitely have a few more chapters of material, but I also have a couple of ideas for Korrasami oneshots.
> 
> EDIT: I accidentally typed "Korra cut her up" instead of "Korra cut her off," which is NOT the direction I'm heading in! I fixed it, sorry!


	5. Shared Vulnerability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they have a really lovely breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains homophobia/biphobia (specifically from parents)

Korra used a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as they left the front door of the apartment building. She squinted at Asami, who sported a pair of aviator sunglasses. She somehow managed to look elegant even when skipping her usual makeup, her hair in a loose bun, wearing a loose sweatshirt and shorts. Korra hadn't had anything to change into, so she still wore her clothes from the night before. She declined Asami's offer to lend her something to wear, although she _did_  accept the new toothbrush offered her way.

They didn't see many people on the streets; it was a Saturday morning, after all. The fresh air seemed to be doing Asami good - she chatted to Korra as she walked, her thumbs hooked in her belt loops. She nodded approvingly when they arrived at the diner. "I've always thought this place looked nice, but now I guess we can actually try it out." The waiter, an acne-ridden teenager probably a few years younger than either of them, smiled and directed them to a red booth next to a window. She immediately ordered coffee for them both; she had gone through way too much that morning without caffeine. "This is my treat, by the way," Asami announced at they sat down.

"Not true - I'm the one who invited you out!" Korra raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, and it was the best idea I've heard all month, so I'm showing my gratitude." 

She opened her mouth to argue but stopped when the waiter handed them their menus. Asami seized the opportunity to continue. "Anyways, I'm sorry that this morning was a... bad time for you to be over. Things with my dad usually aren't this bad." Now that she was feeling better, she suddenly felt embarrassed for getting upset earlier. She started fidgeting with the frayed corners of her menu.

"Please, you don't need to apologize for your dad. And Asami, you don't need to pretend like everything's fine. I'm your friend and I care about your problems, so you have full license to vent to me while we stuff ourselves with comfort food." That got her to crack a smile. When the waiter returned with two steaming mugs, Asami ordered french toast and Korra ordered a stack of chocolate chip pancakes.

"Sounds like a plan. And I'm really-" She stopped when Korra looked at her incredulously, her eyebrow raised. "I'm... I'm not about to apologize! I guess I'm just not used to opening up to people who react positively." It sounded harsh, when she said it out loud, but it was true. She came out once, and the reaction was overwhelmingly, soul-crushingly negative, dragging her to a low she wanted to ever feel again. But a one hundred percent failure rate maybe isn't as dire as it sounds when there's only been one trial, and this morning she had gotten nothing but acceptance and support from Korra. And maybe a fifty percent success rate wasn't too bad, not scary enough to make her afraid to open up again. "I don't know, it's just... really nice to have someone making sure I'm okay."

Korra's breath caught in her throat. Did Asami even realize how tragic that sounded?  Her height, her posture, and her makeup nearly always gave her an air of confidence, of having everything together. But this morning? Sunk into a hoodie and cupping her coffee mug for warmth, she looked so _small_.

"Hey." Her voice came out much softer than usual, the voice she usually reserved for tucking in Tenzin's kids when babysitting. "You can't let one person's negativity make you feel wrong for just existing and living your life. I'm sure way more people would take my point of view than his." She reached for Asami's hand. The contact made her look up. Korra ran her thumb over Asami's knuckles, still warm from clutching her coffee. They stayed like that for a moment, not talking but not needing to.

Both women jumped when their food arrived. Asami withdrew her hand and fumbled with her napkin, unwrapping her silverware. Korra busied herself with smothering her pancakes in syrup.

"Trying to drown them?" joked Asami, gesturing at the pancakes with her knife.

"I'm from the Water Tribe and I'm on a swimming scholarship. Nothing drowns around me, they're just... bathing!"

"Of course," remarked Asami in between bites. "Nothing like a healthy bath in syrup."

"It's probably good for your pores, or something."

"Oh, sure!"

It was silent for a while except for the clicks of silverware against plates. They were hungrier than either of them had realized. Korra contemplated while she ate, thinking of what Asami had said earlier, and of what she herself hadn't. When she finished with her food, Korra began tracing swirls with her knife in what remained of her syrup. "This was most definitely a good idea," Asami announced.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She nodded, still looking down at her plate. "Umm, hey Asami?" Korra's voice had gone soft again.

"What is it?"

"I'm bi too."

Well, there it was. She felt the words leave her, hanging in the air like smoke. "Or at least, I'm pretty sure. It's not something about me that comes up a lot, since I've only really dated one person. I haven't really talked about it much, I mean, I think Bolin kind of knows, and I kind of hinted at it once or twice with Mako, but... yeah. I just... thought you should know." She stopped herself from rambling, looking up at Asami. Her shoulders were tense, her hands shaking a little, but even though she had never felt comfortable voicing it before, she felt safe somehow, sitting in a booth with Asami. She supposed coming out just naturally became a little less scary when it's to a person who has already come out to you - she knew Asami understood before she even opened her mouth.

Asami smiled. "Thanks for telling me. And if it wasn't clear already, _of course_ I understand and I'll support you!"

"Good - I mean, it's not like I expected you _not_ to, but it's really nice to hear." Korra suddenly noticed the heat in her face, her pulse racing. She let out a shaky laugh. "Wow. I just came out. I said that out loud."

Asami held out her hands across the table, and Korra gladly took them. "How does it feel?"

"Actually, pretty amazing!" Neither of them could help but smile. "And I'm really sorry that you didn't exactly get to come out to me on your own terms, but also, it's pretty validating to know that someone else completely gets it. So, I don't know, I guess I hope I'm able to give you some of that feeling too."

"Korra, believe me, you've already made me feel a million times better about myself." It was true - Asami felt lighter, relief coursing through her veins.

Asami pulled out her wallet when the check arrived. Korra objected, suggesting that they should split it, but she shook her head. "No, really, I insist. To celebrate you coming out." Korra reached for it, but Asami held the check out of her reach. By the look on the waiter's face after she handed it to him, he must have been pretty impressed with the tip.

The street had come to life by the time they stepped outside, full of groups of people window shopping and cars whizzing through. "Well, I'd better head back and do some laundry," Korra announced without enthusiasm. "I'm sure my wet swimsuit hasn't improved in my bag."

"You're coming to Opal's recital tonight, right?"

"Of course! What kind of roommate do you think I am?" Opal had been rehearsing nearly every day for the last two months, and she was excited to finally see her onstage. "We'll probably go out afterwards to celebrate. You should come!"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Asami said with a grin.

They hugged, Korra burying her face in Asami's shoulder. "And I'm sorry, and thanks," she murmured.

Asami pulled back to look at her. "Family drama aside, I have to admit I'm a fan of this whole marathon-sleepover-breakfast thing. We'll have to do it again sometime."

As she walked back to her room, Asami found herself smiling. It had taken her years to come to terms with her identity, and a good while after that to work up the courage to tell her dad, but when she finally did a week before leaving for college, he had made her want to close that part of herself off forever, afraid of getting that same stinging rejection from anyone else in her life. But maybe it didn't have to be that way, just maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to write this way sooner than I did, sorry.  
> Also on a personal note, this topic is kind of close to home for me (wow guess why!) and I really hope that I'm able to convey the feeling of validation and of not being alone that I'm trying to get at, because believe me it's something that feels really good. It's also, in a way, something that seeing Korrasami become canon gave a lot of people (myself included!)  
> And lastly, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO RECENTLY GOT MARRIAGE EQUALITY! (ficsated confirmed for big sappy bisexual)


	6. Away from the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The krew faces stress from both school and home. They're college kids, of course they do.

Korra stumbled out of the lecture hall in a state of bewilderment. She couldn't tell if her calculus exam - which _of course_  was came on the first day of exams - had gone fantastically or horribly. She had gotten stuck on a few questions but finished everything else fairly quickly. _Either I've aced it, or I'm screwed_ , she thought. She pulled out her phone to text Asami and ask about her computer science exam when a hand on her shoulder made her whirl around.

"Hey!" shouted Mako as she reflexively grabbed his arm. "Relax, it's just me!"

She quickly released him. "Sorry! But you _did_ sneak up on me, and my brain has turned to post-exam mush..."

"Oh, c'mon," he teased. "You've got, what, like four more of these this week? You can't burn out already!"

"Ugh, don't remind me. This break can't come fast enough." She had barely gotten to see most of her friends in person recently, since everyone was holed up in exam cram sessions with classmates or hiding away in a library or lounge. They all needed time for a little relaxation.

"That reminds me... you're not going home, are you? He looked worried.

Korra shook her head. "No, I couldn't really get it to work out. Flights are crazy expensive at this time of year, and anyways they're only a few times a week and I would lose a day travelling each way, so, you know.... I'm just gonna wait until the end of the semester to go home, since I can stay for longer then." She knew what he was trying to get at, but she really didn't feel like talking about the current state of her tribe.

"How are your parents doing?" _Typical gov student._ Mako had probably researched all about Unaloq's platform and the current political divides in the Southern Water Tribe. It felt weird though, to her. She couldn't just view it all as political - this was her family and her home. It was personal.

She looked down. "They agreed it was probably for the best. They're doing okay - apart from a couple of protesters, things seem to mostly be peaceful for now." Her dad had been busy the last few times she had called home, and her mother looked exhausted the last time she video called. Unaloq's more conservative political group had been gaining traction, and he called for a total shift in how the tribe ran. She hated knowing that her home was in danger of changing while she was gone, that she might not be going back to the same house she left.

"You know you could stay with us, right? I know my place is kind of small and crowded, but everyone would welcome you."

She nodded. "Thanks, Mako. That's nice of you, but I honestly just need some quiet time. And there'll be other students around, so it won't be too bad." She forced a smile.

He raised an arched eyebrow at her. "You... sure you don't want to talk about it or anything?"

Korra shook her head, then hesitated. "Actually - well, there is _one_ thing I've been meaning to talk to you about, but it's not that. At all. Actually,  it's... something completely different." Was she going to do this? She had been thinking about it for a while, and she had sworn to herself that she wouldn't back down from it when she saw him next. She gestured to a bench, and they sat down.

"So what is it?" he asked, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Mako... I've been thinking about this for a while, and I feel like you should know, just given what's happened between us in the past." She wrung her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. "I like girls."

"Well, yeah. Of course." She blinked. Did he not get it?

"No, Mako, I mean like the way we liked each other. Like, I want to date girls." She let out a shaky laugh.

He shrugged. "Oh. Well, that makes sense. You've never really been one for sticking with the status quo. Plus you're kind of obvious about it when you think someone's cute."

She felt her face grow hot. "So... you basically knew already? Mako, I've been psyching myself up about this all week!" She elbowed him in the stomach.

"But just to be clear, is it exclusively girls? Is this an additional thing, or, I don't know, do you have a specific _thing_ you identify as?"

She laughed, probably more from the stress draining out of her than anything else. "Questioning your masculinity because your worried your only real girlfriend was gay the whole time?" She kept talking as he trietd to indignantly object. "Relax! No, I'm kind of... bi? Pan? There are plenty of words, and I don't really know if one fits better than the rest yet. I just... like people, I guess."  


He clapped her on the shoulder, looking into her eyes. "Well, thanks for telling me. I'm proud of you."

She grinned. "Thanks, Mako. I've got to go cram for gov tomorrow, but tell Bolin we're all going out on Friday!"

He laughed. "Of course. And Korra?" he called, already starting to walk away. "Don't win over _all_ the women on campus!"

"Try and stop me!" she called back, flexing her arms and striking a pose.

 

* * *

 

"Sorry I can't stay out too late," Opal told the rest of the table. "The Beifong Family Van departs at some ridiculous hour tomorrow morning."

"Just don't be too loud on your way out," asked Korra, disapproval all over her face. "I bet the twins are probably way too loud to let anyone sleep in the car."

"No, they're not the problem, it's just-" she rolled her eyes, grimacing. "Huan's in charge of the music this time. So it'll be loud and probably terrible." The five of them all made faces of horror.

"Ooh, that does not sound like a good idea!" Bolin remarked, his words muffled around the slice of pizza he was in the middle of devouring.

"You make being an only child sound better every minute," joked Asami. "I'm sleeping as late as I like before I head out."

"I'm sleeping all day if I want!" Korra announced. "Going to have a nice staycation centered around two things: swimming and sleeping."

"Unless of course, you decide you're lonely and you head down to the train station by 10:00 because you want to hang with our big ol' extended family!" Bolin leaned across the table, hunching down and giving her his best (or worst) puppy dog eyes. "Which, of course, is exactly what you plan on doing, right?"

"Thanks Bolin, but really, I'm fine. Plus, I can go bother Asami if I get lonely."

"If I don't run back to school first," Asami joked, earning her raised eyebrows from three of her friends. "I just mean, you know, a week is plenty of time to get sick of dealing with family."

"I get sick of this one all the time," Bolin joked, nudging Mako, who responded by elbowing him in the stomach.

"Maybe I'll get sick of doing the cooking, and then maybe you'll rethink that statement." Mako smirked, knowing he had won.

Korra, who normally would have high-fived him over a line like that, seemed to be focused on something else entirely. “Korra?” Asami asked, a hand on her arm. She noticed the other girl had pulled out her phone.

“What? Oh, sorry, I just… Do you guys mind if I answer this? I’ll be quick.” She excused herself and stepped out the front door of the restaurant, a worried frown on her face.

"Is she okay?" asked Opal. "She's been acting way quieter than usual, and I don't think it's just exams."

"You don't think the political turmoil going on in the South is going to affect her family, do you?" asked Asami.

"Of course it would! Her dad's the chief, after all."

Asami stared at Bolin, her eyes wide. "What?" _So that's why she acted so casual about me being a Sato_ , she thought. Of course Korra wouldn't want to make a big deal about her famous family - she had been in that position herself.

"Nice going, Bo." Mako leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Look, Korra's parents probably thought she should stay out of trouble, but she's definitely not happy about it."

"It must be horrible, knowing a civil war could break out any time and worrying about everyone she grew up around." Opal bit her lip.

Bolin shushed her. "She's coming back! Everyone act natural!" All four of them froze, glancing at each other uneasily.

"So what did I miss?" Korra raised an eyebrow at the group. Asami reached for her soda, unsure of what else she could do.

"How was your phone call?" asked Bolin. Asami choked on her soda, bubbles fizzing up her sinuses. It took her a few seconds of coughing and spluttering to regain her composure.

"Sorry! Just... went down the wrong way." She could feel her face burning.

"Do you want some water?" Korra nudged her own glass toward Asami. "Anyways, sorry about that, it was just some girl from my philosophy class asking when exam grades would be posted." The conversation turned back to exams after that.

 

* * *

 

The light poured in from the edges of the blinds when Korra woke up. She rolled over, stretching with a yawn. 11:30, read the clock on her nightstand. _Gotta love a vacation,_ she thought. She spent the morning - or what was left of it - loafing around, then headed out to grab a meal at the diner. It was quiet, too quiet, with only a handful of tables occupied. She sat alone, playing with her phone after she ate. An eerie quiet had settled throughout campus, and only three other swimmers showed up to train that afternoon, and she ate dinner alone. As she settled in for an evening spent primarily on her laptop, her towel wrapped around her still-damp hair, she started a text to Asami.

_K: Hey! All good at home?_

She sighed. It wasn’t fair to bother her friends already, but she wasn’t used to going a whole day with barely any human contact. In the absence of her friends, she suddenly realized just how much she missed home.

No reply from Asami yet. She opened up her laptop and sent a quick message to her parents, asking if it was an okay time to video call. Whichever of them saw it replied by hitting the call button, and Korra accepted on the first ring.

“Korra! Hi, sweetie!” Her mother smiled at her, and she felt her shoulders relax as she waved in response. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Hi, Mom! How’s everyone doing?”

Her grin melted into a grimace. Had there always been those crinkles at the corners of Senna’s eyes, or were those new? “Well, the tribe’s seen better times. But your father and I are both safe, and that’s what matters.”

“Does Unaloq realize no one wants him there? I know the riots have been spreading, it was even on the news up here.”

“If only it was that clear. He has his supporters, and they’ve been butting heads with the rest of us pretty often. Plenty of people don’t even know what they want.”

Korra groaned. “I hate that all of this is going on, and I’m not there to do anything about it!”

Her mom smiled. “I know, honey. But it’s probably best that you’re out of the way. I’m sure you’re plenty busy working, not to mention preparing for swim season.”

“Is Dad home?”

“He’s still out at a council meeting. He’s been coming home late, and he’s exhausted when he gets home.”

Korra tried to hide her disappointment; she hadn’t gotten to talk to him in a while. “Tell him I called, okay? And tell him to give Unaloq a piece of his mind!”

Senna laughed. “Of course. We might try calling you this time tomorrow, okay?”

“Alright. I don’t have much planned anyway. And Mom? Be careful.”

“I will, of course. We love you, Korra.”

“Love you too. Bye, Mom.”

Korra huffed out a sigh as she shut her laptop and sprawled back across her bed. She couldn’t stand knowing that her home was in jeopardy, that it might change from the place she knew and loved by the time she could see it again. She knew people wanted to hurt her dad, and being too far away to do anything about it only fueled her frustration even more.

_A: So the “just act like it’s all okay and it will be” plan is going up in flames…_

Korra smiled on impulse, then felt guilty about it. Of course she felt awful about Asami’s family situation - she would have been jealous of Asami’s proximity to her family, if she hadn’t known how unhappy Asami felt there - but she also liked hearing from a friend. It reminded her that in little ways, she had started to grow her own roots in Republic City.

_K: Just fyi, I would physically fight your dad if you wanted me to._

_K: I know you wouldn’t but still._

_A: I appreciate the offer._ She could picture the accompanying eyeroll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being very plot-focused for the sake of buildup but I'm setting up for big things in the next couple of chapters. Yes, there will be fluff pretty soon.
> 
> Also I'm really sorry that my update schedule is so irregular and I expected to get to work on writing much more than I actually could this past month. After this fic I'll probably go back to oneshots and drabbles because I can whip those out in one evening, but I am enjoying working on this.


	7. Staycation

The light streamed in from the open blinds. Korra groaned. She must have fallen asleep on top of her covers, and it took her a minute to find her phone. She had four unread texts from Asami:

_A (11:53 PM): How many days left of break again?_

_A (11:55 PM): Too many_

_A (12:27 AM): Alright I lasted exactly one day but fuck it I'm done_

_A (1:42 AM): Well on the bright side I'm around campus sooner than expected if you wanna hang out sometime!_

She also had a text from Bolin checking in, but she decided to come back to that one later. She squinted at the phone, making sure she had read the times correctly. Clearly, it had been a rough night, and she felt a little guilty for not answering and quickly called Asami. No answer. _Hopefully she's just sleeping,_ thought Korra. After all, she had clearly driven back pretty late.

_K (10:45 AM): if you see this I know a pretty great diner for ranting..._

She moved about slowly, dressing before grabbing her toothbrush. For once, she didn't run into anyone in the dorm bathroom down the hall. When she returned to her room, she noticed the light of her phone screen and rushed to pick up Asami's call.

"Hey!"

Asami's voice came out heavy, still laced with sleep. "Hey... what's up?" Korra grinned at Asami's yawn.

"Did you get some sleep last night?"

'Mmm..... I guess, for a couple hours. But anyways, what's this about food?"

 

* * *

 

Korra claimed a booth by the window and preemptively ordered a coffee for Asami along with her own. She checked her email and replied to Bolin's text, all the while looking up from her phone every few seconds. Eventually, she recognized a familiar tall figure with glossy waves of dark hair, although she looked... different. Had Asami worn contacts before? She walked with her shoulders hunched, her arms huddled into the pockets of her burgundy Republic City University hoodie. Korra waved over-dramatically from the window until Asami noticed her, who gave a soft smile in response.

Their coffee arrived just as Asami sat down. The waiter took both of their orders - they had the same guy as before, and he greeted Asami warmly - then she turned to Korra. "Wow, how did you know?" She laughed. "You're amazing."

Korra shrugged, trying unsuccessfully to hide her grin. "What can I say? I'm good at helping people." She looked around for something to talk about, her eyes wandering back to Asami's face. "So, how is it that I've slept over at your place and still didn't know you wear glasses?"

Asami shrugged. "I usually wear contacts all day. Plus, you passed out at ten o'clock on a Friday."

"They suit you." They really did - the black complemented her facial features well, and the insides of the frames were painted a dark green that brought out her eyes. She looked tired, but definitely still well put together.

"Thanks.... I think my contacts are at home, and I didn't really have the energy to look for a spare pair this morning." She sighed. "Hey, Korra?"

"Yeah?"

"I know we're both kind of beating around the bush, but can we... not talk about it yet? We can later, at some point, I just... really, really don't want to right now." She rubbed at her left temple, fighting off a headache.

Korra shrugged. "Sure. I'm here if you change your mind, but that's fine." And they didn't; they chatted over breakfast about exams and television shows and all sorts of things completely unrelated to either of their homes. Asami smiled. She hadn't expected it to be that easy; it came as a relief to know that they could just enjoy each other's company, even for a while.

After they finished eating, they decided to take a longer route to Asami's, admiring the vibrance of the autumn leaves and also noting how different the area seemed without students. Eventually, Asami asked,"So how has _your_ vacation been?"

Korra laughed, running a hand through her hair. "Well, I pretty much did nothing yesterday, which was nice... until it got boring. Which it did pretty quickly. And I talked to my mom, so that was good." _How much did Asami know about that?_ she wondered. "Okay, to clarify, are we doing no family drama in general? Because there's been a lot going on at home for me, and I'm sure you know about some of it, but it really just... sucks."

"Are your parents safe?" Her directness took Korra aback.

"Umm... kind of? Like, currently everything is stable but shaky. And I don't trust Unaloq - but then it gets tricky because he's also my family but I'm more worried about him endangering my parents so... it's complicated. Like, really horrible and messy and-" she let out a sigh. Where could she even start? 

"Here, why don't you start at the beginning? If talking about it helps, that is." She could tell Asami must know something of the situation, but whether from the news or from her friends, she couldn't tell.

Korra took a deep breath. "Okay. Sooo... my dad is the chief of the Southern Water Tribe." Didn't get much reaction, just a nod. "Did you... know that?"

Asami shrugged. "Bolin let it slip the other night. I figured you'd tell me when you were ready, so I didn't feel the need to do anything with that information." Asami didn't add that she was far too familiar with people only caring about you because of your family, but she truly had appreciated Korra's ambivalence towards the Sato technological empire.

"Of course he did." Korra rolled her eyes. "Classic Bolin. But anyways, the tribe as a whole has evolved a lot over the last few years, becoming much more progressive but also less traditonal as a result. So my uncle Unaloq, who works on the council, has been leading this movement all about 'getting back to our roots' and keeping things 'the way they should be.'" She used finger quotes to illustrate her total lack of respect for this movement. "But people are really buying it, and its supporters tend to be really radical. Which would be okay, except some of them are downright bigoted pieces of shit trying to use other supporters to advance their own goals. There have been a couple of violent incidents where fighting broke out in the street." She kicked a pile of leaves on the edge of the sidewalk, creating a swirl of yellow around her boots.

"Anyways," she continued. "My dad's been working his ass off, but there's a very real chance of somebody trying to take him out sometime soon. And I'm completely useless to do anything because I'm thousands of miles away!"

Asami laid a and on her forearm and she realized just how much her body had tensed. She took a breath, trying not to let herself get more worked up.

"I'm really sorry, Korra. I don't really know what I can say or do to help, but let me know if you need anything." Korra had been avoiding her gaze, but she noticed that Asami didn't shy away from facing her directly to tell her what she wanted to say. "But, since we both find ourselves stranded on a mostly-empty campus, how about we make do with what we have and turn this into an alright staycation?"

Korra managed a crooked grin. "A Korra and Asami staycation for the ages?"

"Mako and Bolin are going to be so jealous, they'll wish they stayed on campus!"

 

* * *

 

"Asami, what's your wifi password?" Korra lay on her stomach stretched across the couch, vaguely paying attention to the reality program on TV. "My mom said she'd call pretty soon."

"Here, it's a bunch of letters and numbers. I'll type it for you." Korra raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Aren't you like... an expert at computer science?"

"I've taken a couple of classes in it- stop laughing!" She stood with her arms folded, fighting not to succumb to Korra's infectious laugh.

"Asami Sato, the brilliant engineer in training, cannot figure out how to set her wifi password."

Asami narrowed her eyes. "Remind me again, who's that girl who couldn't figure out how the dorm washing machine works so a bunch of her white clothes turned blue and she just pretends they were always like that?"

"Point taken." She begrudgingly handed over her phone.

"Besides." Asami smirked. "I've already memorized the current password, so it would actually be more work to make it something easier."

"Nerd." Korra rolled over onto her stomach and reached from her place on the couch to boop the frame of Asami's glasses. "Nerd who's saving me from failing calculus, but still."

Their banter continued for a few more minutes before Korra's phone started to ring. "Here, I'll be in my room," Asami said, handing her the phone. She figured Korra would probably want privacy.

Korra accepted the video call. It took a few seconds for the camera to connect, but then she saw both of her parents sitting in her living room at home. "Hi, Korra!" they both called, waving.

"Hey!" Senna hadn't changed since their last call, but Korra hadn't seen her father in a while. He had more gray in his hair than she remembered, and although he smiled, it seemed as though something was pulling at his features. "Wow, Dad, it's good to see you! How is everything?"

He let out a deep laugh. "Well, it's definitely been a busy month, but hopefully things should calm down soon. How are you doing? Did your exams go well?"

"They were a lot of work, but I think I did pretty well. I got to hang out with my friends the night before everyone left, too."

"That's good!" Korra's parents began filling her in on various goings on, nothing related to politics, just the local gossip of neighbors and friends. After a while, her mother inquired, "I hope you're not lonely hanging around campus by yourself, sweetie."

Korra shrugged. "You know? It's actually been okay. It's nice to have a bit of a break, and also Asami lives nearby so I got to see her today. I'm at her place now, actually."

"So that's why it looks so much less messy!" joked Tonraq. "Do we get to say hello to her?"

"Sure!" She set down the phone and called out, "Asami!" She grabbed the other girl's wrist when she appeared in the doorway and dragged her towards the couch. "My parents want to meet you!"

"Um... okay," she replied, nerviously fixing her hair and smoothing her shirt.

"C'mon, you look great." Korra picked up the phone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the lovely Asami." She turned the camera around to the girl giving a shy wave.

Asami suddenly felt intimidated. Both of Korra's parents smiled warmly, but her father looked like he could fight off an arctic wolf with his bare hands. She would hate to get on his bad side. "We've heard so much about you!" Senna exclaimed.

"Really?" Asami raised an eyebrow at Korra, who grimaced. "Mostly good things, I hope?" She joined Korra on the couch.

"Of course," responsed Tonraq. "From what I understand, you're the only reason our girl has survived calculus."

"Oh, that? That was nothing, I'm a very STEM-heavy student, so it was a subject I was happy to help with. I'm not sure I could have been much use if it was, I don't know, history."

"Good to see Korra's got a friend with her priorities straight. Those boys seem like quite the troublemakers, from what I gather." Tonraq folded his arms. Asami fought to keep a straight face - sure, Mako and Bolin could both be a little ridiculous, but they were hardly anything for Korra's parents to worry about.

"I'll keep an eye on her," she assured him, earning a nod of approval.

"Anyways, Korra, did you hear about tonight's meteor shower?"

Korra's eyes lit up. "There's one tonight?"

"Yep. I'm not sure about your weather, but the sky should be pretty clear where we are."

She bit her lip, visibly deflating a little. "Dad, the city's pretty full of light pollution. I can't see nearly as many stars as we could at home, so I don't know if it'll really show."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that, kid." Tonraq's disappointment matched his daughter's. "We'll think of you, but it's a shame you can't join us in person."

"I'm sure you'll find something else nice to do this evening," added Senna. "You should enjoy your time off - you've earned it."

"Alright, thanks, Mom."

"We'll check in tomorrow," her dad assured her. "It was nice to get to talk to you, sweetie."

"And Asami, it was nice to meet you!" Korra's mom had such a genuine smile, Asami found herself returning it without thinking about it.

"I'm glad I got to talk to both of you. You're daughter's quickly become a very important friend of mine," she told them, causing the daughter in question to look away.

"Mom, Dad, be careful. I love you."

"We love you so much." Senna leaned into Tonraq as she spoke.

"Take care of yourself too. See you soon." They both waved. She and Asami both returned their goodbyes and Korra ended the call.

Korra let out a sigh. "Thanks for saying hi. They liked you!"

"I hope so." Asami put an arm around Korra, who leaned into her embrace. She could tell Korra worried more than she let on during the call. "You know, they both really care about you.

She nodded, burying her face in Asami's neck. "I know. I used to take them for granted, but I think that's changed."

"You know," murmured Asami, "the sky's been pretty clear. We could probably catch that meteor shower if you wanted." Korra's father wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't important to her, to them both. Her hand came up to Korra's head, and she began to run her fingers through her short hair. It was softer than she expected.

"Yeah, not with all the streetlights around here."

Asami pulled away, eliciting a confused look from Korra. "But I can drive, and there are some great rural areas not too far from the city." She made no attempt to hide her grin.

Korra gaped at her. "You... you would actually be up for that?"

"Of course. I don't have any better plans for the night, and it sounds like it could be great."

Korra sprung towards her, wrapping her arms around Asami's waist so tightly that she took her by surprise. "Asami, you're amazing!"


	8. Under the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fluffiest date-that-isn't-a-date that two good friends could have. And somewhere, a line was crossed, but it was never really clear where that line was, or if it ever existed in the first place.

“So, where exactly are we going?” Korra asked from the passenger seat, looking out the window at the terrain. They had just left the highway, along with the density of the city: hilly farmland surrounded them on either side.

“There’s this park out in the countryside I used to visit as a kid.“ Asami seemed freer somehow, as though her issues with her dad stayed with him in the city. “We should be getting pretty close.”

Eventually, she pulled onto a side road, then a gravel drive, then a parking lot. They hadn’t brought much with them, just a thermos of tea and a large blanket, which Korra carried in her arms. Their breath hung in the chill of the night air.

Another park could have been eerie at night with no one around, but not this one. It spread out in front of them, an expanse of open land. Asami gazed across the two soccer fields, smiling at the now run-down playground as they passed it. She checked her watch. “It should be starting soon.”

They picked a spot in the center of the further of the two fields. Korra spread the blanket on the grass, and they both laid down.

“Wow. I never realized how much I missed the stars.” As her eyes adjusted, dozens of them popped into view. Though she recognized some familiar constellations, the stars were different from when she saw them at home.

“It kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?” Asami asked, gazing up at the sky with her hands folded behind her head. “Some of those tiny ones are millions of times the size of our planet, let alone us.”

“I always found it sort of comforting. Like, there’s so much beyond whatever problems we’re currently facing.”

“I took an astronomy class last year, and there’s just… so much out there,” said Asami. “It’s kind of hard to conceptualize it all, black holes and dark matter, things that don’t make any sense but exist anyway.”

“My dad used to point out different constellations to me,” mumbled Korra. She hadn’t thought about it before, but of course she wasn’t going to see the same view she had grown up with. Geographically, she was in a completely different part of the world. Still, it bothered her for some reason, the way the stars she knew formed an unfamiliar pattern here. She felt inadequate somehow, searching for constellations to show Asami but on the wrong side of the planet to find the ones that were special to her. “They come together a little differently here, though.... Hey, you see that red spot over there? I'm pretty sure that's Mars."

Asami nodded at Korra before returning her gaze to the sky. "I think you're right! That star to the right of it, the one that's flashing? That's a pulsar. One side of it is releasing a huge beam of electromagnetic energy, some of which becomes visible light. The reason it blinks like that is because the whole star is rotating dozens of times a minute." She may not have grown up with this view, but she knew her science. "And that one over there is a... oh! I think I saw one!" A look of wonder spread across her face, pulling her mouth into an "o" and widening her eyes. With a start, Korra realized she had been too focused on Asami to notice anything overhead. "What, really?" she asked indignantly. "I missed it!" Korra bit her lip, blood rushing to her cheeks.

"It was right... over there, a tiny one." Asami pointed towards the northeast. "I'm sure we'll see another one soon."

"Okay, you're probably right." Korra did her best to lie still, even more stars appearing now that her eyes had adjusted to the dark. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Sooo... Did you wish for anything?"

"Hmm?"

"You're supposed to make a wish. On a shooting star. At least, I'm pretty sure you are. You don't have to, if you don't want."

"Oh, right." Asami thought about it for a moment. "Got it, I wished that-"

"Shh!" Korra cut her off, gently elbowing her in the ribs. "I'm not supposed to know, keep it a secret and it's more likely to come true."

"And are you the authority on the fine print of wish-making law?"

The temperature continued to drop. Asami reached for the flask. They traded it off every few minutes, each taking a hot sip of tea.

"Are you sure you saw one?" asked Korra, her tone mostly playful.

"Definitely. It's not exactly easy to confuse with a plane."

"Alright, alright. I believe you."

The night continued to pass. Korra noticed that Asami was shivering. "Here, have the rest of the tea," she insisted, handing over the flask. Asami opened her mouth to protest, but her chattering teeth stopped her from forming a decent argument. She scooted towards Korra, who pulled up the excess blanket from under them to wrap around her .

"How are you never cold?" Asami asked. "You barely even dressed warm."

"Asami, I've got South Pole blood. This is a balmy evening for me. Here." She lifted her right arm, allowing Asami to lean  against her chest. "Wait, look! There!"

A huge streak of white lit up the night sky, vanishing in less than a second. It created a glow stronger than a flash of lightning, racing in a clear arc from one end of the sky to the other.

"I wasn't looking," sighed Asami. "Did you make your wish?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Got it!" Korra felt warm, she felt like she was home. She remembered sitting on her dad's shoulders and staring up at the constellations, listening to his stories of how they all came to be. "That was amazing."

"Funny how space junk burning in our atmosphere can be so breath-taking," mused Asami.

"Space junk?" Mock-indigence laced Korra's tone. "Asami, that's the stuff of stars." 

"Space junk, stardust, I suppose it's all the same." They were silent a while. "I'm glad you got to see one."

"Do you want to head back? You should probably get inside soon."

"No, let's stay a few more minutes," Asami replied. "I want us both to see one."

It really was a beautiful night. The few trees framing their field of vision had lost most of their leaves, and no clouds hung in the air. Whatever phase the moon was at (Asami had no clue, Korra knew it was something near a waxing crescent), it had ducked out of the sky before night had fallen, leaving them in enough dark to truly enjoy the stars.

It took a while. Asami had to nudge Korra once or twice to make sure she kept her eyes open. But when it happened, they both saw.

"Look!" "There!" They both responded at the same time. Two shooting stars, almost in sync with one another, darted across the sky, leaving trails of burning white that vanished half a second later. They both wished. They both contemplated whether seeing two shooting stars made a wish a double wish.

They both wondered what the other had wished.

"That was amazing," exhaled Korra. After a pause, she added, "Alright, let's get you some warmth."

Asami rolled into her, stubbornly admitting, "I don't want to move. Korra, this is so special."

She made a fair point. They remained still for a few seconds, eyes locked, before Korra reluctantly sat up. "Come on, your lips are blue."

"Everything looks b-blue out here."

"Stuttering does not help your point!" With a groan, she pulled herself to her feet, then held out a hand to Asami, who rose with the flask and blanket in hand. She pulled the blanket around her and Korra's shoulders as they walked to the car, arm in arm. When they climbed into their seats, Asami turned the key in the ignition and immediately set the heat on its highest setting. She rubbed her hands together, breathing into her palms.

Korra smiled at her under the interior light. "See, your lips _are_ blue."

Asami pulled a tube of lipstick from the central console and, in a defiant gesture, painted both of her lips red. "Not anymore, they're not." The girl knew how to argue.

As they drove, from small country roads back to dark, expansive highway, Korra didn't have much to say. Asami eventually realized this was because she was starting to nod off against the windshield. She shifted the rest of the blanket over Korra and left her undisturbed for the remainder of the drive, only reaching over once the car was parked. "Psst, Korra. Hey," she whispered gently, placing a hand on her arm. It took a moment for her blue eyes to open. "Come on, let's get inside."

It was clear that Korra hadn't fully emerged from the deep recesses of her sleep. Asami got out of the car and opened up the passenger door. "Korra, come on." With some help, Korra managed to pull herself upright and, leaning heavily on Asami, made it to the elevator. The two barely stumbled down the hallway, and Asami sighed with relief when she finally sat Korra down on the edge of her bed.

Despite the fog of sleep that had its grip on her, Korra rallied enough to speak. "Hey, Asami?"

"Yeah?" The other girl paused mid-search for a pair of cotton pajama shorts to replace her jeans.

"Thank you. So much. That was... really cool to get to see."

As Asami brushed her teeth and washed her face, she found herself smiling at her reflection. Though it wasn't too unusual for her to be up this late, it usually involved her being alone, stressed out, and unable to clear her thoughts. Tonight, however, she felt... fulfilled. Whole. Like she had been a part of something incredible, with someone incredible.

Korra hadn't moved from her position when Asami returned to climb into bed. "Hey..." she mumbled, "you sure I can stay here tonight?"

Asami chuckled. Korra clearly wasn't going anywhere. "Relax. You look like you're about to pass out, I'm not about to send you to walk home."

With that comment, Korra gave up on the last of her hesitation and finally climbed under the covers. "You're the best, you know that?" she murmured. She was out within minutes, Asami following not long after.

 

* * *

 

The sun shone through the window when Korra woke. She could not tell what time it was - late morning? Early afternoon? - but she could tell from how refreshed she felt that it had definitely been a while. Asami's breath tickled her neck....

 _Oh_ , thought Korra. _Right._ She suddenly remembered where she was and how she had gotten there. It had been an amazing night, but she quickly became more aware of the long, black curls spread out across the pillow next to her, of the head nestled under her chin, of the way her left arm had somehow found its way across Asami's waist... and were their legs tangled together? She did her best not to move, hoping Asami would stay asleep for a while longer, but her own heart rate rapidly picked up. She knew something had changed between them, at least on her end, and it terrified her. Her mind raced, desperately searching for a way to un-cross whatever line she had crossed, wherever that line had even been - she couldn't seem to find it.

Maybe it would help if she talked it out with somebody? She racked her brain: _Mom and Dad? Nope. Mako? Eugh, definitely not. Opal or Bolin? Do they even - no, they don't even know. Or at least, I don't think they do._ Bolin. She'd talk to Bolin first, she decided, though she wasn't entirely sure what it was she wanted to say.

It definitely wasn't that she was terrified of whatever direction her life was headed. But at least, if it was, she had that in common with most college students.

"G'morning."

Korra immediately jerked her arm away, trying halfway through to turn the motion into a casual stretch. There's no way it came off as casual. "Hey! Did you sleep well?"

Asami sat up, nodding through a yawn. "Want some breakfast? I have cereal and stuff, if you're hungry. But," she paused, stretching her arms over her head, "I can also respect that this is the - what was the name? - the Korra and Asami Staycation for the Ages, so I think we can do better."

Korra hesitated. She knew she needed some time to be on her own, to clear her head. She needed to get her thoughts in order, maybe line them out for an uninvolved third party. But lazy brunches with Asami were quickly becoming her favorite way to start any day, and nothing about Asami reaching for her glasses and running a hand through her somehow-already-perfect hair made the offer any easier to turn down. "I'm in!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm in." In too deep, what a nerd!
> 
> I don't really know that anyone is going to read to this chapter, especially since it's been so long, but I had a lot of fun writing it. These goobers are still very near and dear to my heart.
> 
> I do have lots of ideas for where this story is headed, the tricky part is just sitting down and getting them out there. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!


	9. An Excuse to Celebrate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Korra swims like a champ and Asami will probably be blushing for days.

 

"Hey, you made it!" Bolin gestured for Asami to come sit next to him in the stands with Opal and Mako.

"Hey, guys!" She greeted him with a hug and said hello to the other two. In Bolin's lap sat a large poster board. "Oh, were we supposed to bring signs?" asked Asami, suddenly worrying that she had come unprepared. 

Mako laughed. "Bolin, show her the other side!" Bolin's sign showed a lot of... effort. She tried to keep her smile neutral while examining his elaborate depiction of a stick figure with a bob, lying sideways in a pool while everyone cheered.

"I think it's sweet," said Opal. Asami gave a nod in agreement.

They settled in for a while, in the humid, chlorine-scented air. Asami pulled off her coat and scarf. Korra wouldn't be competing until the final relay, but Asami had never been to a swim meet before, and she loved seeing them race. It was so immediate, direct and yet graceful, the way the athletes shot forward towards the finish. The crowd was fairly small: she would have expected more for the first swim meet of the year, but it meant that they had a great view.

The Ba Sing Se Badgermoles quickly took on a lead in the point system. "The badgermoles are usually ranked at #1," explained Bolin. But roughly halfway through the meet, it became less clear-cut. Republic City U won first place in two races and steadily began creeping towards the lead. 

"There she is!" Mako jumped out of his seat. Asami rose immediately, following his gaze. The individual swimmers of the RCU Spirits looked pretty uniform in their black suits, swim caps, and goggles, but there... There she was! Her figure, her ready-to-fight posture, and her crooked smile immediately drew Asami's eye. Korra and three other women stood together by the coach, who was talking animatedly.

"What order is she racing in?" asked Opal.

"I'm betting first or last," Asami remarked. "They'll put her somewhere high-stakes." Really, she had no justification for thinking Korra was an especially good swimmer, but she could tell from the way the others talked that this girl was going to make an impact on the team.

"It's all or nothing for our home team, folks! Only five points down!" called the announcer. "If they come first place in this last relay, they'll get seven and take the lead, but not if those Badgermoles can stop them!"

"Do you think she can see us?" Asami waved her hands. Bolin immediately joined her, hoisting up his sign as the swimmers lined up. The first swimmer up crouched, readying herself for the dive. A few feet behind her teammates, Korra looked around uncertainly, until her gaze fell upon their section and she gave them a salute.

Asami let out a laugh. "Were those finger guns?" asked Bolin with a chuckle. Asami made the gesture back and let out a cheer.

"Aaaaand... They're off!" Four swimmers to cover two hundred meters. The first swimmer dove with grace, kicking her way through the water. She stayed almost neck and neck with the swimmer in the adjacent lane. When she finished her portion, the second swimmer launched badly, taking a second to get her bearings. The Spirits lagged, and it showed. Asami jumped up and down, watching as the odds began looking worse and worse. The third swimmer couldn't make up the lead, and when Korra finally launched, she started a full second and a half behind the leading swimmer. But then...

"She's doing it!" cried Asami. "She's really doing it!" Steadily, Korra clawed her way ahead in the race. She shot forward in the water, almost next to her nearest opponent. "She really is!" All four of them stood with bated breath as the race crept closer and closer to the finish.

Three tenths of a second. That was the final margin of victory. And the Spirits had won. Mako and Bolin climbed up onto the benches, pulling Asami and Opal with them. They whooped and cheered and hugged, all trying to wave some part of Bolin's sign. Korra pulled her goggles off and threw her arms around her teammates, who were more than eager to congratulate her. The four of them headed off towards the locker room in a triumphant group, the rest of the team jumping up and down like they were at the Olympics.

The crowd started to head out of the stands to the larger athletic complex, and Opal pointed out the area indoors where the athletes would emerge. The swimmers who had competed earlier were dressed first, but before long Korra appeared, met with hollering and whooping from the crowd. Asami, Mako, Bolin, and Opal waved, and Asami stepped forward and pulled Korra into a tight embrace. Korra’s arms wrapped around her and Asami felt her feet lift the ground. For a moment they were both chlorine and adrenaline and sheer exuberance.

The hug ended and Korra stood back, still flushed from her relay. She shook her head like a dog, flicking water on those around her. Bolin tackled her in a hug of his own, then tried to convince Mako that they should carry Korra out on their shoulders. Opal, slipping in for a much tamer hug, pointed out that Korra might not want to get concussed when they walk through a doorway.

Coach Kya called the athletes back over to announce plans for a team pizza night. Korra disentangled herself from her friends briefly enough to say that she would be there, then came back to talk. “You’re all coming to the party tonight, right? I don't know what the theme is yet, but there is one, so that means it'll be... exciting?”

She was met with mixed reactions. “Come on! I kind of have to be there, so I get to bring my friends. It won’t be _just_ swimmers there!” She made eye contact with each of them individually, doing her best puppy-dog face. A face that must have worked on everyone in the group, because a few hours later, there they were.

* * *

 

Asami hadn’t been to a party in at least two months, not since her father sent her a series of angry texts after a picture of her holding a plastic cup ended up on social media. But then again, Korra had a knack for leading her down the exact paths her father feared.

"New years?" murmured Mako, eyeing the decorations. "That's not for weeks."

"I guess they wanted to celebrate before everyone goes home?" Opal didn't totally sound like she bought the idea herself. The crew had met up beforehand to walk together, but it took a while for them to find Korra in the crowd.

Things that reminded Asami why she didn't miss parties: the filthy condition of the swimmer house, which was home to twelve seniors. The cheap alcohol, paired with generic sodas. The three guys who tried to hit on her.

Things she didn't mind so much: the text from Korra beforehand, saying that she didn’t have to come, especially if parties weren’t her thing, but that Korra would really love to see her. The enormous grin that lit up Korra’s entire face when she saw her. The way Korra kept introducing her to the team: “This is Asami,who’s probably the coolest person I’ve ever met. She’s one of my best friends in the world!” The arm around her shoulder (Korra’s, of course). The glow of the team's success... which was really down to Korra.

“How much have you had?” she murmured to the guest of honor, who seemed even giddier than usual.

“Not that much! Honestly, I’m way more hyped up on adrenaline than anything else, I swear,” Korra insisted. She was almost convincing.

Asami tried not to cringe at the boxed wine in the kitchen, opting instead for a beer. People kept coming up to congratulate Korra on the final relay.

“You were like a superhero!” Bolin insisted. “It was looking dark for the Spirits all around, when suddenly, WHOOSH! There she was!” He did an elaborate movement with his hands, though it was hard to tell if he was the swimmer or the pool.

Korra giggled. “C’mon, Bo, it wasn’t QUITE that bad.”

“Oh, come on!” added Asami. “This would be a night of the team drowning their sorrows if you hadn’t pulled that off! Bolin, have you ever thought about acting? That was a pretty great reenactment.”

He stood up straight and puffed out his chest with an earnestness that made Opal have to cover her face to hide her laugh. “Funny you should mention it! As a matter of fact, I enrolled in an improv class for the spring, so stay tuned for more! Clearly, Asami’s way ahead of us all, intellectually,” he told the group. “Korra, you have fine taste in friends.”

This line caused Korra to sputter on her drink. “In that case, how come I've stuck with you so long?"

"Ooh! Low blow, Korra. Low blow." Opal patted his arm consolingly.

* * *

In another area of the house, someone had set up a makeshift dance floor, a crowded area Asami had been avoiding. But when Korra's favorite song began playing, somehow the five of them ended up in the middle of the action. Asami shook her head incredulously at this girl's ability to draw people together, to rally them in a moment of joy. Korra seemed to have a magnetic pull over those around her, and her moods were infectious. "Dance with me!" she insisted, grabbing Asami's wrist with one hand and Mako's with another.

Asami Sato didn't dance at college parties. She danced formally when she needed to, and she maybe danced terribly around her apartment on occasion, but she froze up when a male swimmer pulled her towards him. She turned around, her head spinning, trying to pick out familiar faces. She tried to move towards the perimeter when - "There you are!" - Korra, who had been dancing with Bolin, stepped towards her.

Relief flowed through her. Korra pulled an arm around Asami's waist, taking her hand in the other and falling into a clumsy back-and-forth step. "Asami, are you doing alright? You look a little green... you're not gonna get sick on me, are you?"

"I'm fine, really." She was, really, now. She rested her cheek against the top of Korra's head. "Glad that you're having fun. What kind of step is this?"

"I figured you'd only dance 'proper' or something. How's this?"

Asami stifled a laugh. This was proper? "Come here, look at my feet." One, two, three, one, two three.... She got them moving in some step that could very loosely be called a ballroom dance. "There, we're waltzing!"

Korra laughed, her breath tickling Asami's neck. "Of course, Lady Asami." Someone yelled something about the time, but they couldn't distinguish his words over the music. Suddenly, Korra let go of her waist, sending her for a clumsy spin that almost swept her off her feet. They reunited as Korra dipped her, a move she admittedly carried off with style. In comparison with the rest of the dance floor, Asami figured they probably looked pretty damn elegant. 

The music cut off without warning. "You guys!" The swim captain, who had _definitely_ had too much to drink, began shouting. "It's midnight! Everyone, it's midnight!" Asami looked around, puzzled, unable to connect the dots until- _oh._

Their lips met, and it was sloppy and awkward and yet so perfect. Korra smiled against her lips, one hand cupping the side of Asami's face. And it was over as suddenly as it started. "Happy new year," Korra said with a chuckle. Her head rested against Asami's shoulder; they couldn't see each other's faces. Several couples around them had continued kissing, and Asami found herself at a loss for words.

"Or, I guess, happy early December. This is fun, though." They walked together towards the kitchen. Asami tried to tell if it was fondness or exhaustion that kept Korra leaning against her. She hoped that she looked more together than she felt.

"I guess it works... But only since we'll probably all be home for actual New Years," mumbled Asami, realizing Korra had been looking at her for a response.

"Yeah, I'll be forever away! I guess I can call people, but where's the fun in that?"

Asami gave Korra a nudge with her shoulder. "Hey, I'd be _so_ down for a celebration over wi-fi."

"There you are!" Mako approached them both. "Do you guys wanna head out soon?" Korra nodded, stifling a yawn. "Woah, you feeling alright? Both of you, I guess - Asami, you look pretty red."

"What? Oh, it's just hot in the other room, that's probably it." He raised an eyebrow, probably attributing her lack of composure to alcohol, but she didn't care enough to correct him.

Asami ended up crashing in a beanbag chair on the floor of Korra and Opal's dorm, since she didn't want to drag anyone in the opposite direction to her place. Korra offered to share her twin bed and Opal offered to give hers up, but Asami insisted she didn't feel like moving, feigning exhaustion. Despite her best efforts, though, she didn't spend much of the night asleep. She kept going over every detail of the night in her head, wondering just what events had led her there, but she knew one thing for certain: she wouldn't have missed it for the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to dedicate this chapter to whatever writer on the Supergirl team came up with the line "We should kiss the girls we want to kiss" because honestly what a stellar philosophy
> 
> Also, just as I went to post this I realized there were some really nice comments I hadn't seen before. I don't have any kind of working schedule for this and almost abandoned it when I went to college because I'm very busy, but it makes me smile to know that a handful people really appreciate the work I've put into this. Hopefully, these gay nerds will make you smile, because I smile a lot when I plan out my writing. I have ideas for what's happening next - can't make any promises as to when I can share those with you, but I'm hoping to get some more writing done in January.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for reading!!! I've got some plans for additional chapters, so look out for updates! If needed, I'll add whatever content warnings apply for future chapters.


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